Julia Gash X Neil Varsity Line

Julia Gash is a British artist and map maker extraordinaire. She creates whimsical illustrations of locations, printed onto beautiful products that connect with people around the world, bringing a place that's close to their hearts, into their homes.

Julia has created a successful, international business model through collaborating with a curated portfolio of manufacturers that produce sustainable and stylish souvenirs printed with her artwork. In licensing her artwork internationally, her creative collaborations have provided skilled employment to people across the globe, from fair trade factories in India to giftware manufacturers in the over twenty countries.

As a directional designer, Julia first saw the opportunity for producing contemporary giftware of destinations around the world in 2012. In response to the enthusiasm for travel, she developed a naive style of illustration that capture a sense of discovery and the awe and wonder felt by a child exploring the world for the first time. Julia has since collaborated with a core group of licensees to ensure that her brand is successfully produced and marketed in key regions without the obstacle to trade of currency fluctuations, customs duties and cultural differences. It has also brought the manufacturing location, closer to a market, making it a more sustainable business solution.

Her license to USA established, giftware manufacturer Neil Enterprises Inc, which began in 2018, following Julia showcasing her brand at Hong Kong Premium Gift Show, has led to a remarkably successful partnership. Together, Julia Gash and Team Neil have produced best-selling product ranges, celebrating the campus culture, sporting achievements and local landmarks of over 250 of America’s finest educational institutions. Our application for Gift of the Year 2022 focusses on an outstanding, commercial partnership that has resulted in a unique, growing and everlasting giftware collection that at the same time, has created a unique, artistic catalogue of America’s most respected universities and colleges.

Working closely with team members at Neil Enterprises Inc., Julia’s art has created products that have generated an income of over $1 million in 2021 for the wholesale arm of Neil, with a retail value of over $2.5 million. During a time of adverse economic conditions caused by successive lockdowns, Julia has grown her business with Neil by over 30% YOY.

"Julia is a tremendous strategic partner - always a delight to work with and astoundingly creative."
Matt London, Director of Neil Varsity Line, Neil Enterprises Inc.

Products printed with her artwork include coasters, mugs, tumblers, oven mitts, tea towels, aprons, trays, water bottles, canvas tote bags, zip purses, luggage tags, lanyards, cushions, woven throws, Christmas ornaments, children’s colouring in book and T-shirts.

Prestigious retail collaborations and stockists include Ivy League universities Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Berkeley, Cornell and Columbia. Julia has created artwork for many state universities such as Pennsylvania, Middle Tennessee, California, Illinois and Oregon. Specialist academic institutions such as Virginia Law School, Virginia Military Academy, US Naval Academy and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) feature as part of her growing collection of illustrated product ranges.


Julia has successfully grown an international business and iconic brand in 2021 through developing key licensing relationships worldwide, with the partnership with Neil Enterprises Inc being at its core. Not only has this freed her up to focus on her creative output and enabled her licensing partners to benefit financially from her talent but the licensing business model has provided greater immunity to global market challenges that compromise the supply chain and as such has enabled her to grow her brand during challenging times.